Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure, for example, relates to wireless communication systems, and more particularly to implementation of access class barring for device-to-device proximity service communications.
Description of Related Art
Wireless communication systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as voice, video, packet data, messaging, broadcast, and so on. These systems may be multiple-access systems capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing the available system resources (e.g., time, frequency, and power). Examples of such multiple-access systems include code-division multiple access (CDMA) systems, time-division multiple access (TDMA) systems, frequency-division multiple access (FDMA) systems, and orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA) systems.
By way of example, a wireless multiple-access communication system may include a number of base stations, each simultaneously supporting communication for multiple communication devices, otherwise known as user equipments (UEs). A base station may communicate with UEs on downlink channels (e.g., for transmissions from a base station to a UE) and uplink channels (e.g., for transmissions from a UE to a base station). UEs may be assigned an access class parameter associated with barring protocols that control access to the base station in certain emergency scenarios, for example. Normal (or non-high priority) UEs may be assigned an access class 0-9. High priority UEs may be assigned an access class 11-15. Other access classes may be assigned based on a service (e.g., audio/video telephone services, messaging services, etc.). When access class barring is active, the barring condition and assigned access class parameter may determine whether resources are available for a particular UE or service.
Device-to-device (D2D) communications involve direct wireless communications between UEs. D2D communications may provide for proximity service functions to be performed between UEs within the same geographic area. Example proximity service functions may include announcements within a defined geographic area, sale information within a shopping mall, etc. UEs may communicate via D2D proximity service communications by accessing resources associated with direct discovery, direct communications, etc. Current access class barring procedures may not consider D2D proximity service communications and, therefore, UEs may experience difficulty, or be prevented from, accessing resources for D2D proximity service communications when access class barring is active.